Category Archives: Volunteer Patient Advocate Program

C Diff Foundation is pleased to announce the Michael and Helen Caralla, Sr. Educational Scholarship program. The scholarship program is to help health care students succeed and reach their educational goals.

To apply for a C Diff Foundation
Michael and Helen Caralla, Sr. Educational Scholarship,
the applicant must submit an application
by May 1 of each calendar year.

The C Diff Foundation selection committee chooses application recipients based on a submitted essay, letters of recommendation, a willingness to complete the Volunteer Service project to promote C. difficile infection awareness requirement, and financial need.

Awards consist of annual scholarships that range in value from $750 to $1,500 USD. Recipients must reapply each year they attend post-secondary school and will be chosen based on their academic progress and mentoring performance.

To be eligible for a Michael and Helen Caralla, Sr. Educational Scholarship the applicant must be:

A student and a high school graduate or have a General Educational Development a.k.a. General Educational Diploma (GED).

Enrolled full-time at an accredited post-secondary educational institution during the 2017-2018 academic year (If a foreign student is applying and is chosen, the educational scholarship awarded amount will be converted from USD to the educational institute location foreign currency exchange rate and proof of country residency must be provided).

Maintain full-time status throughout the 2017-2018 academic year in order to remain eligible.

Willing to complete a minimum of 50 volunteer hours promoting C. difficile infection prevention, treatments, and environmental safety awareness in their local communities per academic year awarded the educational scholarship.

C. difficile infections can be acquired and diagnosed in infants and across the life-span with a higher risk involving our senior citizens and that is why it is imperative to learn about a C. difficile infection, its most common symptoms, the treatments available, and environmental safety products to prevent the spread of this spore-bacteria and to help reduce C. difficile infection recurrences.

“When you apply to become a C Diff Foundation Scholar, you are taking the first step to determine your own future. The C Diff Foundation Scholars are individuals motivated and dedicated to making a difference in the health care community. We are excited to offer a scholarship program to help support health care students to advance their career path through the Michael and Helen Caralla, Sr. educational scholarship, a program in memory of our loving parents,” states Nancy C Caralla, Executive Director.

About the C Diff Foundation:
The C Diff Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, founded in 2012 by Nancy C Caralla, a nurse diagnosed and treated for Clostridium difficile (C. diff.) infections.

Through her own CDI journeys and witnessing the passing of her father, diagnosed with sepsis secondary to C. difficile infection involvement, Nancy recognized the need for greater awareness through education, the research being conducted by the government, industry, and academia and better advocacy on behalf of patients, healthcare professionals, and researchers worldwide working to address the public health threat posed by this devastating infection.

National Volunteer Week, April 23 – 29th

The C Diff Foundation celebrates National Volunteer Week, April 23 – 29 to recognize more than 150 members of the C Diff Foundation Volunteer Members, including Volunteer Patient Advocates, have collectively donated more than 20,000 hours of volunteer service to the Foundation last year. The theme for this year’s celebration is “Sharing Time, Touching Lives.”

“Through the years the C Diff Foundation Volunteer Members have served as ambassadors of goodwill, service and compassion,” said Angelo Ortiz, C Diff Foundation’s Treasurer and Chairperson of the Volunteer Patient Advocate Program

The C Diff Foundation, a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization, established in 2012, and comprised of 100% volunteering professionals dedicated at supporting public health through education and advocating for C. difficile infection (CDI) prevention, treatments, environmental safety, and support worldwide

Not only do the volunteer members provide financial support for the C Diff Foundation’s programs — it is through their dedication and passion that continuously expands the Foundation’s mission. Some volunteer patient advocates have their own unique C. diff. Survivor Journey which is shared with compassion, dedication, and caring hearts touching patients, students, fellow healthcare professionals, and residents in the community every day.

“We are fortunate to have such kind and giving volunteers,” said Nancy C. Caralla, Foundress and Executive Director of the C Diff Foundation, “It is an honor to recognize those who have selflessly given so much to help educate, and promote the Foundation’s mission worldwide.”

The C Diff Foundation Volunteer Program was organized in 2012 to provide volunteer services, promote community understanding of Clostridium difficile (C. diff.) CDI Infection Prevention, Treatments, Environmental Safety and Support and to raise funds for special C Diff Foundation patient/family programs.

The C Diff Foundation Members, with the Volunteer Patient Advocates, successfully promote
“C. diff. Awareness” nationwide and in fifty-six (56) countries and host a
U.S. Nationwide information Hot-Line (1-844-FOR-CDIF) to support health care providers, patients, and families guiding them through the difficulties caused by a C. diff. infection.

Volunteers Members serve in 12 different committees; Volunteers host monthly teleconference support sessions; Provide Education about C. diff. infection and other linked healthcare topics through workshops, community events, and literature with patients, their families, and residents from villages to cities around the globe; Triage Nurses assist patients, families, clinicians with answers to prevention, treatment, environmental safety and support questions Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. EST; Register support session participants,; Provide IT management; Give clerical and social media assistance to various departments; Provide a “Global Broadcasting Network” with www.cdiffradio.com with their educational radio
program,C. diff. Spores and More which broadcasts live every Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. EST. We are grateful for our sponsor Clorox Healthcare for making this program possible. Each episode becomes a podcast and is accessible from the C. diff. Spores and More living library located on the main cdiffradio.com program page. Each Novemberthe Volunteer Members gather at the annual conference to both present and provide assistance in making the attendees feel welcome and expand their knowledge base on a variety of health topics that are linked to the main topic ~ Clostridium difficile infections.

Clifford McDonald, MD, Associate Director for Science in the Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), chaired the conference. In his role at the CDC, McDonald’s at the forefront of efforts to prevent and treat the infection – one the CDC has declared among the most urgent drug-resistant threats that we currently face.

“It’s my firm belief that we are on the threshold of a new era in better diagnosis, treatment, and prevention approaches. At the CDC, we deal with statistics, but there are faces behind those numbers. At the heart of every infection is a patient who deserves our competence, our empathy, and our passion,” said McDonald.

One of those faces, Roy Poole, is a volunteer patient advocate for the C Diff Foundation. After retiring from a career in the Air Force, Poole led a healthy, active lifestyle as an avid outdoors-man in Colorado before antibiotics prescribed for a routine dental procedure set the stage for CDI. In the medical community, his symptoms were met with disbelief and inappropriate treatment.

“Three weeks after leaving the hospital, I walked into my (previous) primary care physician, and asked for an order to have a stool sample taken to determine if Toxins A or B were present. His response was, ‘Are you still having problems with that?’ Clearly, there is a need for more education about C. diff among physicians,” said Poole.

CDI is a formidable opponent. However, with the newly focused attention on discovering ways to disable the bacteria and cohesive public health approaches aimed at prevention, presenters from government, academia and industry offered five key reasons we can win the battle against C. diff:

Antibiotic stewardship efforts are gaining a foothold.
Statistics present a chilling picture: 453,000 new cases and an estimated 30,000 deaths each year. It’s likely that those numbers grossly underestimate the true impact of CDI, since it’s what we know from death certificate reporting.

However, we are seeing that rates may have peaked after a long plateau. Mark Wilcox, MD, Head of Microbiology at Leeds Teaching Hospital, Professor of Medical Microbiology at University of Leeds, and the lead on Clostridium difficile for Public Health England in the United Kingdom, has demonstrated a 70% reduction in cases in England in just 7 years. This was after a concerted effort that Wilcox spearheaded surrounding antibiotic stewardship, specifically addressing a reduction in unnecessary prescribing of fluoroquinolones and cephalosporin antibiotics.

Commonly prescribed antibiotics disrupt the protective microbiota (the normal bacteria of the gut) and leave it vulnerable for C. diff colonization. “There was a concerted effort that went beyond lip service and truly embraced the principles of improved surveillance, more accurate diagnostics, enhanced infection prevention measures to use antibiotics more wisely and to limit transmission and careful treatment,” said Wilcox.

High rates of CDI are always associated with the use of certain antibiotics: clindamycin, cephalosporin, and fluoroquinolones. Research has shown that lower respiratory tract infections and urinary tract infections account for more than 50% of all in-patient antibiotics use. But are these really necessary?

“We know that antibiotics are overused and misused across every healthcare setting. At least 30% of antibiotic prescriptions are unnecessary – and this equates to 47 million unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions per year written in doctors’ offices, hospital outpatient departments, and emergency departments. We have a lot of work to do, and CDC is actively working to reduce unnecessary antibiotic use,” said Arjun Srinivasan, MD at the CDC. “Stopping unnecessary antibiotics is the single most effective thing we can do to curb C. diff infections in the United States. This is something that we can do today.”

Srinivasan acknowledged that telling patients that they can’t have a prescription for an antibiotic might result in some pushback. “Patient satisfaction scores are a very real concern. When someone is sick and takes a day off work, they’re not leaving without a prescription – especially when the last provider wrote one for their same symptoms,” he said. “But this is a new day, and it’s up to the physician to educate their patients and stay strong.”

Hospitalists have access to accurate, inexpensive and quick diagnostic tests that can lead to targeted, effective treatment. This can arm the treating physician and patient with information that can put patients on a path to recovery without feeling like they are being dismissed.

Emerging guidance reflects important advances in research and development.

Most recently published in 2010, the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) and Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) Clinical Practice Guidelines for C. diff are currently under review. This is critical because of the number of physicians still treating with metronidazole first, despite the fact that the largest randomized controlled clinical trial has shown that vancomycin is more effective.

“The past few years have ushered in a new age of understanding how and where C. diff colonizes, and the damaging toxins A and B that it produces.”

Considering that 25-30% of patients experience a CDI recurrence, it’s evident that metronidazole unnecessarily contributes to the failed treatment outcomes for patients. Metronidazole is less expensive, but has more side effects than oral vancomycin and is less effective in treating CDI.

Johnson provided an overview of the dramatic advances this space has seen in just the past few years.

Limitations of current guidelines include:
• No mention of fidaxomicin, a narrow-spectrum antibiotic, which in 2011 was the first medication approved in 25 years for the treatment of C. diff associated diarrhea
• Limited evidence for recommendations to treat severe, complicated CDI
• Limited evidence for recommendations on recurrent CDI
• Little mention of Fecal Microbiota Transplant (FMT)

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5. Patient advocacy and awareness efforts can alter the course of CDI.CDI survivors shared their experiences along their emotional journey – fear, disbelief, isolation, and depression. They also expressed gratitude at the validation, information and support they received from the patient advocacy community. Perhaps the greatest gift they have received is the empowerment to question their physicians about the necessity of antibiotics they have been prescribed in terms of risk of CDI.

“The hospital where I was treated initially seemed eager to have me leave. They offered no additional help. The C diff Foundation has been my greatest source of help. In turn, I feel I help myself cope best, when I help others to cope with the disease,” said Poole.

TO READ THIS ARTICLE IN ITS ENTIRETY AS PUBLISHED IN THE MD MAGAZINE

PLEASE CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING LINK TO BE REDIRECTED —- THANK YOU

Dale Gerding, MD, FACP, FIDSA, is Professor of Medicine at Loyola University Chicago, Research Physician at the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital. Additionally, Gerding is an infectious disease specialist and hospital epidemiologist, past president of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America and past chair of the antibiotic resistance committee of SHEA. He is a fellow of the Infectious Diseases Society of America and past chair of the National and Global Public Health Committee and the Antibiotic Resistance Subcommittee of IDSA. His research interests include the epidemiology and prevention of Clostridium difficile, antimicrobial resistance, and antimicrobial distribution and kinetics.

Thanksgiving is a great time to reflect on the year’s blessings, reconnect with family, share a big meal and sometimes get indigestion. Often times, the overindulgence of a variety of foods may cause an upset stomach or stomach bug.

To be blunt, the rapid expansion of the stomach and foods rich in creams, sugar, and fat can cause gas, bloating and diarrhea. In most cases, the stomach discomfort is temporary and, with over-the-counter medicine, the symptoms are gone.

When should you be concerned, if the usual remedies are ineffective to control diarrhea?

One of the answers is when the pain from diarrhea, abdominal cramps and fever is so severe that it lands you in the emergency room. In Veronica “Raunnie” Edmond’s case, she was already hospitalized during her second round of chemotherapy for an aggressive form of stage 3 breast cancer.

Please click on the link below to be redirected to this most admirable story shared by Veronica with Marie Y. Lemelle, Contributing Columnist at Wave Newspapers

Marie Y. Lemelle, MBA, a public relations consultant, is the owner of Platinum Star PR and can be reached on Twitter @PlatinumStar, or Instagram @PlatinumStarPR. Send “Health Matters” related questions to healthmatters@wavepublication.com and look for her column in The Wave.

The C Diff Foundation Volunteer Patient Advocates; Heather Clark and
her sister, Kimberly Reilly participated at local events over the summer season to educate and advocate
for C. diff. infection prevention, treatments, and environmental safety within the local communities raising C. diff. awareness and saving lives.

On behalf of the C Diff Foundation , we sincerely thank you Heather and Kimberly for your dedication, your time, and for joining the
C Diff Foundation partnering and sharing our global mission.

We are truly grateful to the many special Volunteer Patient Advocates, the special individuals donating their time in “Raising C. diff. Awareness within their communities” around the globe. Thank You!

Heather and Kimberly lost their dear Father from C.diff. involvement. Shortly after his passing, Heather and Kimberly took a stand with the C Diff Foundation and dedicated their time and efforts in “Raising C. diff. Awareness” to help educate, and advocate for this life-threatening infection that played a big part in their Father’s passing.

Clostridium difficile (C.diff.) is gram-positive, anaerobic, and a spore, rod/spindle-shape,
a common bacterium of the human intestine in 2 – 5%. C diff. becomes a serious gastrointestinal infection when individuals have been exposed to antibiotic therapy, and/or have experienced a long-term hospitalization, and/or have had an extended stay in a long-term care facility. However; the risk of acquiring a C diff. infection (CDI) has increased as it is in the community (Community Acquired CDI) and found in outpatient settings.

There are significant risk factors in patients who are immunosuppressant, ones who have been on antibiotic therapy, and the elderly population.

How do Antibiotics cause C diff.? The antibiotics cause a disruption in the normal intestinal flora which leads to an over growth of C difficile bacteria in the colon. The leading antibiotics known to disrupt the normal intestinal flora, yet not limited to, are Ampicillin, Amoxicillin, Cephalosporins, Clindamycin, and the broad spectrum antibiotics.

Since November 2012 the CDC has shared public announcements regarding antibiotic use: Colds and many ear and sinus infections are caused by viruses, not bacteria. Taking antibiotics to treat a “virus” can make those drugs less effective when you and your family really need them. Limiting the usage of antibiotics will also help limit new cases of CDI.
*Always discuss the symptoms and medications with the treating Physician.

What are C.diff. Symptoms? Symptoms of Clostridium difficile (C.diff.)C.diff. strains produce several toxins; the most popular are enterotoxin – Clostridium difficile toxin A and cytotoxin – Clostridium difficile toxin B. Both strains are responsible for the symptoms of diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, fatigue, and can advance to a complication of a severe inflammation of the colon; pseudomembranous colitis, which can also lead to further complications of toxic megacolon.

How is C.diff. Transmitted? Mode of transmission of CDI can be either directly or indirectly, hospital acquired (nosocomial) or community – acquired; Ingesting C.diff spores transmitted from others and patients by hands, or altered normal intestinal flora by antibiotic therapy allowing proliferation of C.diff. in the colon. Coming in contact with surfaces, devices, or material with Clostridium difficile spores can easily be transferred to individuals by hands that have touched a contaminated surface or item. Examples of surfaces, devices, and materials contaminated with C.diff. spores in hospital and community/outpatient settings: commodes, bath tubs, showers, hand rails, bed rails, counter tops, handles, clothing, medical equipment, and electronic rectal thermometers.

The C Diff Foundation provide a wide range of programs, such as education, and advocacy for C. diff. infection prevention, treatments, support, and environmental safety worldwide, training of volunteer patient advocates (VPA’s) across the globe to provide educational workshops, supplying life-saving medications for those afflicted with this infection from young children to seniors, building satellite branches across the globe, presenting educational workshops in educational programs, improving and expanding the C. difficile infection awareness, providing global tele-conferencing support sessions in mental health counseling, long-term illnesses, the prevention, treatments, environmental safety with nutritional education for patients, and families suffering through a C. difficile infection
and so much more.

We are working together and dedicated at raising C. diff. awareness to witness a decrease in newly diagnosed C. difficile infections worldwide and through dedication and efforts of the
C Diff Foundation Volunteers – we will meet our goals.

Treatments For CDI? Treating C diff is becoming more challenging to physicians, frustrating to patients, and costly to the health care industry. To date there are three antibiotics effective at treating C diff: Metronidazole is prescribed to treat mild to moderate symptoms and is cost effective (8). Vancomycin is prescribed for moderate to severe symptoms via: oral route as intravenous administration does not achieve gut lumen therapeutic levels. Vancomycin is prescribed to patients with unsuccessful results from the Metronidazole, or the patient is allergic, or pregnant, breastfeeding, or younger than ten years of age.

The most recent antibiotic, Dificid (fidaxomicin) http://www.dificid.com is the first medication approved by FDA to treat C diff. Associated-Diarrhea CDAD in over twenty five years with superiority in sustained clinical response (5) Loperamide, diphenoxylate and bismuth medications are contraindicated as they slow the fecal transit time which extends the toxins in the gastrointestinal system.

The use of Cholestyramine has demonstrated positive results as toxins A and B bind to the resin as it passes through the intestines aiding in slowing bowel motility and assists in decreasing dehydration (9).

C.diff. spores are able to live outside of the body for a very long period of time and are resistant to most routine cleaning agents. It has also been proven that alcohol based hand sanitizers remain ineffective in eradicating C. diff. spores. In 2009 Clorox Commercial Solutions Ultra Clorox Germicidal Bleach ® was named the first and only product to obtain Federal EPA registration for killing C. diff. spores on hard, non porous surfaces when used as directed (1).

The CDC also recommends a 1:10 ( 1 cup bleach to 9 cups of water) dilution of bleach and water for cleaning hard non-porous surfaces keeping areas covered with solution for 10 minutes and the solution is to be mixed fresh daily.

Hand hygiene following the guidelines in HAND WASING; it is important to wash hands before entering and exiting a patient’s room (4). The spores are difficult to remove from hands; Universal Contact Precautions remain best practice for healthcare personnel and Contact Precautions for patients with a confirmed diagnosis of CDI. Prevention through education about CDI has proven effective and beneficial to environmental housekeeping departments, health care professionals, administration, patients, and their families (2)

Hart-Parr Oliver Collectors Association National Summer Show
(This is the national tractor show where their Father’s tractor will be on display)
3349 Gehan Road, Canandaigua, NY 14424Friday, August 12, 2016
* See us in the flea market section of the event; there will be acres of flea market displays
Hours not set, but we will be there all day

President Richard Nixon established National Volunteer Week with an executive order in 1974, as a way to recognize and celebrate the efforts of volunteers. Every sitting U.S. president since Nixon has issued a proclamation during National Volunteer Week (as have many U.S. mayors and governors). Since then, the original emphasis on celebration has widened; the week has become a nationwide effort to urge people to get out and volunteer in their communities.

To each C Diff Foundation Volunteer Patient Advocate, , on behalf of all the staff and the thousands of members around the globe we want to say THANK YOU!

Your continued support and efforts contribute in a significant way to our mission of educating, and advocating for C. diff. infection prevention, treatments, and environmental safety awareness worldwide.

November marked our third year in “Raising C. diff. infection Awareness” campaign and we thank the many organizations who supported and contributed by sharing information with others. We are all working toward a shared goal in witnessing a reduction of newly diagnosed C. diff. cases and “None of us can do this alone…..all of us can do this TOGETHER!”

We celebrate our volunteers and this week stands as a reminder that our daily work sharing information, educating, and advocating for C. diff. infections, remains not only critical but it is urgent.

We do not know when new interventions to prevent, to treat, and protect our environments with products that will eradicate C. diff. spores will become available to the public. The good news is that we do know that there are many positive interventions presently in clinical trials, which give us all HOPE.

Visit the website for updates and feel free to inquire if you or a loved one would be considered a candidate to participate in an ongoing clinical trial:

This is why acts of sharing the C Diff Foundation literature during every opportunity quickly opens doors of knowledge helping others learn how to prevent acquiring this painful and life-threatening infection, treatments available, and disinfecting products with EPA Registered C. diff. kill for environmental safety– to help save lives.

Reminder that there is always information and support available and only a phone call away 1-844-FOR-CDIF

The C Diff Foundation Volunteer Patient Advocates build awareness, help build support and provide education of C. difficile infection prevention, treatments, and environmental safety measures to patients, survivors their families and community healthcare professional centers/offices. They also guide individuals in giving a voice to patients, survivors and their families on healthcare-related infections, informing the public, health-care providers (hospitals, healthcare professionals, etc.), organizations of health-care professionals, the educational world, with the medical, Governmental agencies, and pharmaceutical research communities.

We provide our Volunteer Patient Advocates with the necessary tools, and updates to generate positive results.

Do you have a few extra minutes to share vital information with others to raise C diff. infection awareness in your community?

By becoming a C Diff Foundation Volunteer Patient Advocate you will make a BIG difference and help spare others the pain, suffering, and tragedy of loosing a loved one that is caused by a C. diff. infection.

Contact our office for additional information and register today by e-mailing the C Diff Foundation your name and a valid mailing address to receive an official C Diff Foundation Volunteer Patient Advocate Packet

info@cdifffoundation.org

On this day, and throughout the year ahead, we want you to be confident that your Volunteer Membership in the Foundation is bringing important information out into the communities and throughout the world through the educational brochures, cards, letters, and from sharing your own personal experiences with others. Please be sure to share your journey with others in need of “HOPE” on the C. diff. Survivors Alliance Network website http://www.cdiffsurvivors.org

Your continued donations received during the year are always appreciated. Your gifts assist the Foundation in promoting C. diff. infection prevention, treatments, and environmental safety education, and advocacy to healthcare professionals, families, patients, and communities world-wide. We are grateful for your assistance, dedication, and support and we hope the Foundation has also been helpful to you. If you have any suggestions about how we can serve others better or share the information more effectively, please let us know. You are welcome to email, telephone, or write to the Foundation at any time.

We certainly look forward to your continued Volunteer Membership in the Foundation. There is so much more that needs to be accomplished and we continue to move forward together promoting our mission, which is entirely dedicated for the good of others.

May you and your families experience continued HOPE for good health, happiness, and peace throughout the year.

Thank You for helping prevent further pain and suffering worldwide by sharing in the

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